Foldable tent



July 25, 1939. E, SANKEY 2,167,219

2 FOLDABLE TENT Filed'septl 9, 1958 2 sheets-sheet 1 Elm er ,jv/anfey e# myfmf@ ATTORNEYS July 25, 1939. E. sANKEY FOLDABLE TENT Filed Sept. 9, 195s 2 Sheets-sheet 2 'Elmer ,S/anf NVENT ATTORNEYS Patented July 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The invention relates to a foldable o-r collapsible tent and more especially to protective tents for lambkins.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a tent of this character, wherein the frame thereof is sectional and such sections are in the form of bows, these being linked together so that they can swing apart with respect to each other for the setting up of the tent for occupancy or moved together for the collapsing o-r folding of such tent when not in use, the bows being swingingly joined or connected with each other for the easy extending or collapsing of the tent in its entirety and when such tent is set up it is anchored in place upon a foundation to be secure and protective of the occupants against inclement weather, wind, dust storms and the like.

Another object of the inventionis the provision of a tent of this character, wherein access will be easily had thereto when set up for occupancy, the tent being usable for the confinement of lambs and ewes, being no liability of the collapsing ofsuch tent when set upfor occupancy.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a tent of this character, wherein the covering and frame therefor are of novel construc- 1 tion and unique in the association with each other Yto assure protection to the lambkins when confined within the same. f

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a tent of this character, which is simple in its construction, thoroughly reliable and eicient in operation, readily folded when not in i use to occupy the least possible space in storage,

easily set up for use and is assured against collapsing during use, strong, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose the preferred and modified forms of embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended. I

In the acocmpanying drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a tent set up for use and constructed in accordance with the invention, being the preferred embodiment of the invention. Y

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the frame structure of the tent with its covering @removed are in extended. .position Figure 3 is a view showing the frame collapsed or folded.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary 'sectional View taken 5 on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a sectional View on the line 6 6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view on the rvline 'I--l of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a modified form of tentv constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the tent illustrated in Figure 8 in an open position.

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line I0--I of Figure'8.

Figure 1l is a fragmentary perspective view of the frame of the tent illustrated in Figures 8 and 9.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary detail View showing a further modification for anchoring the frame to a foundation.

Similar lreference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the 25 drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, particularly Figures 1 to 7, inclusive, disclosing the preferred embodiment of the invention, A designates generally the tent in a set up condition for oc- 30 cupancy and anchored in place upon a foundation. This tent A comprises a foldable frame including a substantially circular shaped sectional base hoop or ring made from relatively rigidwire lengths constituting the sections Il), II, I2 and 435 I3, respectively, and several swinging bows I4, these being upwardly arched and one of these bows I4 at its ends has bent therefrom out-turned elongated eyes I5with which are loosely connected the sections I0, II, I2 and I3, the sections 40 Iand II being loosely connected at I'B to these eyes I5 at one side of the bow having the same While the sections I2 and I3 are loosely connected to saideyes I5 asat l1 to the opposite side of this bow. The other bow I4 has loose connection with 45 the eyes I5 through the coils I8 bent from said bow and the terminals I9 of such bow beyond the coils I8 being effective as anchoring pins for engagement in a foundation to hold the framein a fixed position relative thereto particularly when setting up' the tent for use from a folded condition.

Tacked or otherwise fastened to the frame, that is, the sections I0, II, I2 and AI3 and the bows I4, respectively, is afabric, preferably waterproofed,

tent body or covering being preferably of the shape illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings and is provided along the bottom edge thereof with a lateral spread portion 2|, the eyes I5 being projected exteriorly of the body or covering 20 through suitable clearances for the exposure thereof without the tent to receive anchoring pins or fasteners 22, which are driven into a foundation, these being hung upon. flexible ties 23 secured to the body or covering 20 exteriorly thereof so that in this manner the tentl when set upI for use will have double anchorage at opposite sides thereof through the medium of the pins I9 and 22, respectively.

The body o-r covering 2U is provided with an entrance and exit opening effected by the slit 24 vertically directed on the setting up of the tent through extending of the body or covering 2|! and such opening or slit is susceptible of being closed through the use of a Zipper fastener 25 of conventional construction.

The sections III-II and |2-I3 are. separable in their relationship in that the sections II), and I3 are formed with eye terminals 2.6 while ythe sections I I and I2 are formed with hook terminals 2l, both terminals being engageable with anchoring pins, one of the same being indicated at 28 in Figure l of the drawings. Each anchoring pin 28 is driven into a foundation from which the tent is set up and located and when it is desired to open the body or covering 29 to the full extent of the opening or slit 2.4 therein, the pin 28 engaging the terminals 26 and 27 will have been pulled out of the foundation and the zipper fastener 25 actuated for allowing the opening of the slit 24 whence the portions of the body or covering 29 next to the opening or slit can be lifted upwardly and in this fashion full opening of the tent for entrance thereto or exit therefrom may be had. Now should it be desired to fold back the body or covering 29. only at one sidev of the opening or slit 24, the. hook terminal 2. Yengaging the pin 28 can be released therefrom, that is to say, the pin 28 adjacent tothe opening or slit 24 and thereafter by operating the zipper fastener 25 partial opening of the tentmay be had. When it is desired to completely fold the tent thepins 28 are removed from the foundation and thus the terminalsZo and 2l disengaged therefrom whereupon these sections I0, II., I2 and I3 can be folded upwardly and inwardly in the direction of the bows I4 which likewise can be folded toward each other bringing the tent to a folded or collapsed condition and, should it be desired to remove the tent from the foundation, the pins 22 are extracted therefrom. and the pins I9 pulled out of such foundationxthus freeing the frame of the tent from anchorage.

In. Figures 8 to 11 of the drawings there is shown a modified form of tent wherein a single bow 29 having the terminal eyes 36 is employed while the ring sections 3| and respectively, at one side of this bow 29 are loosely connected at 33 with the eyes 3|! and at the other side of the bow is a substantially half ring shaped section 34, these sections constituting the basering of the foldable frame for the tent. Tacked or otherwise fastened to the frame is the tent body or covering 35 having the opening 36 therein for entrance and exit purposes. One side edge of the opening 36 in the body or covering'35 has a easement 3l for a keeper rod 38 while the other edge of said opening 36 has a casement 39--for a latching rod 46, these rods 38 ,and 43 being formed with separably interlocking hookn ends 4| for the fastening of the opening 36 in a closed condition and by the easements 3'| and 39 in an overlapped relationship to each other. The Casement 39 has a clearance 42 therein for the loop connection 43 with the rod 40 of a hasp 44 separably received in a retaining loop or strap 45 for augmenting the fastening of the casements 31 and 39 in their overlapped relation and in the closing of the opening 36 in the body or covering 35.

The eye and hook terminals 46 and 4l, respectively, of the sections 3| and 32 are engaged with an anchoring pin 48. The hook terminall 41 being releasable from the pin 48 for the folding of a apl area 49 of the body or covering 35 in the manner as shown in Figure 9 of the drawings for increasing the opening extent of said body or covering to allow easy entrance into or exit from the tent.

The eyes 36 accommodate anchoring pins 5i) which are driven into the ground for the securing of the tent in place when in a set up condition. These eyes have a flat spread thereto for rest position when anchored by the pins 56 to hold the bow 29 perpendicular and to avoid accidental collapsing of the tent when set up for use, the, sections 3|, 32 and 34 being swingable toward and away from the bow 29 so that when folded toward the bow collapses the tent and when swung away from said bow extends the tent for occupancy.

By releasing the hasp 44, the casements 31 and 39 can be separated from each other on disengaging the latching ends 4| from each other of the rods 38 and 4|! so that a person can peep into the tent and in this manner avoiding the opening of 'the flap area 4.9 of the body or covering 35, the release of the hasp 44 being had. by disengaging it from the` loon or stran 45.

The section 34 of the frame at each end thereof has loose connection at 5| with the eye 30 next thereto of the bow 29 so that this section 34 together with the sections 3| and 32 can swing relative to the bow 29 in the collapsing or eX- tending of the tent.

The pair of bows I4 has connected thereto a tie string or the like 52 which limits the swing of these bows I4 away from each other when setting up the tent for use as shown in Figure l of the drawings.

In Figure l2 of the drawings there is shown a slight modification of an anchoring pin 53 having the loop head 54 for releasably accommodating straight terminals 55 of the sections 56 of the frame, being a substitute for the construction involving the anchoring pin 48 and terminals 46 and 41 of the sections 3| and 32, respectively, hereinbefore set forth.

In the preferred embodiment of structure the slit 24 in the body or covering 20 affords at opposite sides of said slit or opening foldable flap areas to the body or covering 2B. This is also true with regard to the body or covering in that a flap area 49 is present therein at each side of an opening 36 to allow free entrance to and exit from the tent when set up for use.

The fiap areas before mentioned carry the sections IIJ-II and 3|-32, respectively, which latter determines the folding extent 0f such flap areas.

What is claimed is:

1. A tent of the kind describedl comprising a foldable frame having a sectional base ring and a bow, an extensible fabric body forming a cover for the frame and having an entrance and exit opening therein, elongated laterally extending eyes at the end of said bow having the sections of the base ring swingingly connected therewith, the body being formed with openings for the said eyes through which the latter project, and an-l choring pins engaged in said eyes for engagement in a foundation.

2. A tent of the kind described comprising a foldable frame having a sectional base ring and a bow, an extensible fabric body forming a cover for the frame and having an entrance and exit opening therein, elongated laterally extending eyes at the end of said bow having the sections of the base ring swingingly connected therewith, the body being formed with openings for the said eyes through which the latter project, anchoring pins engaged in said eyes for engagement in a foundation, and means associated with the body for effecting the closing of the openings therein.

3. A tent of the kind described comprising a foldable frame having a sectional base ring and a bow, an extensible fabric body forming a cover for the frame and having an entrance and exit opening therein, elongated laterally extending eyes at the end of said bow having the sections of the base ring swingingly connected therewith, the body being formed with openings for the said eyes through which the latter project, anchoring pins engaged in said eyes for engagement in a foundation, means associated with the body for effecting the closing of the openings therein, the sections of the base ring next to said opening being formed with anchoring pin receiving terminals, and an anchoring pin separately engaged with said terminals and fastened in the foundation.

ELMER SANKE'Y. 

